Wednesday, October 2, 2013

It’s been awhile since I dropped a Seinfeld reference, but
this hearty tomato bisque had me reminiscing about the famous “soup’s not a
meal” episode. It’s rich, hearty, and satisfyingly thick without being heavy.
Sorry, Bania, it counts.

There are different opinions on what makes something a
bisque. Technically, it’s made from some sort of shellfish puree, but modern
usage includes vegetables as well. Above and beyond that, it has to have cream,
and be thickened with rice.

One problem with many of the tomato soups I’ve had, is that
they are either thickened with tons of tomato paste, which is like eating a
bowl of pasta sauce, or they’re thickened with a flour roux or cornstarch slurry,
which leaves them too pasty for me. A little rice thickens the soup just as
well , but also gives it a nice silky texture.

As far as the canned tomatoes go, we’re using the same
argument here we use for tomato sauce. Unless you have some amazingly sweet,
vine-ripened specimens around, that you’ve peeled, seeded, and cooked down to get rid of the excess
moisture, then chances are San Marzano tomatoes will produce a superior
product.

I tried to stress in the video how important it is to adjust
the seasonings to your liking, especially the sweetness. Many of us were raised on Campbell’s tomato soup
(and grilled cheese sandwiches, of course), and because that flavor is so
ingrained in our taste memories, you need to get this at least close for it to work.
Taste, adjust, taste, adjust, and as always, enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 Portions:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced celery

3 cloves garlic

1 quart chicken broth, plus more as needed

1 (28-oz) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes, or about 3 1/2
cups of other crushed tomatoes

Chef john I have a soup related question I work at a small mom and pop restaurant we feature two soups clam chodwer the other being mushroom brie we double boil the clam chowder because it is a roux-based soup the mushroom brie is cornstarch based but as of recently the mushroom Bri has been breaking due to the heat has it been converted to a roux based soup or can corn starch based soup break? Both use milk. Just curious. Love your blog thanks for your time

I love homemade cream of tomato soup. And it is so easy I have no idea why I never made it until a couple of years ago.

Under the heading of necessity being the mother of invention I had a bumper crop of tomatoes come in just as I had no time to use them all. I wound up making a tomato soup base with the cooked tomatoes blended with the onions and garlic and pushed through a sieve to get out the skins and seeds. The resulting base was very thick and only needed chicken stock, cream, and a bit of heat to finish. I've canned it in 1/2 pint jars. I'd never thought of this before but I'll bet I put up more next year!

Chef your list of ingredients is missing "sugar to taste" for those who cook from a written recipe.What kind of bread is your grilled cheese made with? Looks yum! Will definitely try the rice for thickening. Thanks.

Absolutely fantastic tomato bisque. I love tomato soup and this is by far the best recipe I have come across. I added basil directly into the pot to make tomato basil bisque and turned out wonderful. Kudos Chef!

Loved your video! I never would have believed that a few tablespoons of rice would thicken tomato soup! I can't wait to try this. Would it make a big difference if I substituted Half and Half for the Heavy Cream?

A triumph. I added the fancy elements of your lobster bisque (without the lobster): thyme, tomato paste, finishing it off with brandy and worcestershire sauce. Last night, we shredded some pan-fried scallops on top of the soup and had a side of grilled ciabatta. Today for lunch, I had a big bowl and a warm croissant filled with melted goal cheese and marinated artichoke hearts. Love this recipe.